Battle-Tested Scorpions Ready to Take the Next Step in 2026
Story by Walter Dorman
The Farmington Scorpions enter the 2026 football season believing they may be deeper, more experienced and better prepared to turn close games into victories.
For head coach Jeff Dalton, one of the most encouraging developments of the offseason has been discovering how many players are ready to step into bigger roles.
Farmington graduated several key contributors from last year’s team, including Santiago Gonzalez and Danny Hagstrom, but the Scorpions have found more answers than they initially expected.
“We have more guys ready to fill in those spots than we kind of anticipated,” Dalton said. “So we’re excited.”
The absence of players who rarely left the field in previous seasons may also force Farmington to spread the workload around.
“Sometimes when you don’t have the Santiago Gonzalezs and the Danny Hagstrom all over the place, then you’ve got to play more kids,” Dalton said. “So I think it’s helped us create a little more depth as well.”
That depth could become especially important as Farmington works its way through another demanding Class 6A schedule.
Turning Close Games Into Wins
Last season’s final record didn’t necessarily tell the entire story of Farmington football.
The Scorpions found themselves in numerous close games and were often only a handful of plays away from changing the outcome.
Now the challenge is learning how to finish them.
“We were a few plays from really having a few wins under our belt,” Dalton said.
One of the biggest issues was turnovers — not necessarily how many Farmington committed, but when they happened.
“We didn’t turn the ball over as much as we may have in the past, but man, they came at the worst times and sometimes at really unnecessary times,” he said.
Those experiences have left the returning players battle-tested.
“We know we can compete,” Dalton said. “If you just know our overall record from last year, I don’t think you realize that. But if you were at games, we were in all of them.”
And the lessons from those close losses have been clear.
The Scorpions know no opponent is going to hand them a victory.
“They know that they’re not owed anything,” Dalton said. “No one’s going to give them a victory. So they’re going to have to figure out ways to take them.”
More Efficiency Through the Air
One of Farmington’s biggest offensive goals entering the season is improving its passing efficiency.
Dalton isn’t necessarily looking for the Scorpions to throw the football dramatically more often. He simply wants them to be better when they do.
“We definitely needed to perform better in our passing game,” he said. “I’m not even saying to throw the ball more, but just to be more efficient.”
Dalton said the Scorpions were sometimes completing passes in the 30-to-40 percent range last season, a number he expects to improve.
He has been encouraged by the progress at quarterback and believes improved accuracy could make the offense more dangerous.
Leaders Starting to Emerge
Farmington also has several players beginning to take ownership of the team.
Senior center Asa Fishburne has emerged as one of the emotional leaders of the group.
“He’s really taken a lot of control of a lot of the motivation and just getting kids going and excited,” Dalton said.
Four-year varsity player Justin Degroat has also taken on a leadership role, particularly in the weight room.
“He really gets after them in the weight room and holds guys accountable,” Dalton said.
Others lead in different ways.
Junior Canton Cahoon has earned praise for the way he practices, while quarterback Rock Kalcich has shown the steady approach Farmington wants from the position.
“You need your quarterback to be a leader, and he does a good job with that,” Dalton said. “He’s here every day, he has a positive attitude, and he makes sure he doesn’t get rattled.”
Secondary Expected to Lead the Defense
On defense, Farmington will look to its secondary to provide much of the leadership.
Senior Colter Davis enters the season as an experienced starter and one of the Scorpions’ most important voices on the field.
“He’s really our field general,” Dalton said. “He gets us lined up right.”
Farmington also returns experience at corner, including Quentin Begay, while Cahoon will see time in the secondary as well.
The goal isn’t necessarily eliminating major mistakes. Dalton said Farmington was often in the correct position last season.
The next step is finishing the play.
“We could play well all game, and we might give up just one critical deep ball,” he said. “We would be in position. We just wouldn’t win the play.”
That has become a point of emphasis.
“We just have to get more competitive when we compete for the ball in the air,” Dalton said.
Farmington Believes It Belongs in 6A
There is another message Dalton wants his players to embrace.
Farmington belongs in Class 6A.
The Scorpions have heard the questions about competing in New Mexico’s largest classification, but Dalton doesn’t want his program viewing it as a burden.
“We get asked way too much, ‘Are you upset?’ We’re not upset,” he said.
For much of Farmington High School’s football history, the Scorpions competed at the highest classification in the state.
That is where Dalton wants the program.
“For about 10 years Farmington’s been down in class, but for the rest of our 100 years we’ve been in the biggest classification in New Mexico,” he said. “That’s right where we want to be.”
And he believes his players are beginning to embrace that challenge.
“We want to be a threat in 6A,” Dalton said.
Surviving the Gauntlet
Farmington’s schedule won’t give the Scorpions much room to ease into the season.
Dalton pointed to a stretch against Cleveland, Rio Rancho and Sandia as what the program has come to call “the gauntlet.”
Three physical opponents in succession will test Farmington’s depth and health.
That becomes even more important with the longer district schedule.
“With a nine-team district, you don’t have a lot of time,” Dalton said.
As one of the smaller schools competing in Class 6A, Farmington knows it may not have the same roster depth as some of its opponents.
That makes keeping key players on the field especially important.
“It’s so crucial being one of the smaller schools that we stay healthy because we don’t have as much depth as a lot of these teams do,” Dalton said.
More Than Wins and Losses
Of course, Dalton wants Farmington to win.
But when he thinks about how he wants the 2026 Scorpions remembered, his answer goes beyond a final record.
“I want every team I’ve ever coached to be remembered for having a no-quit attitude and being classy and playing hard no matter what the situation is,” he said.
For Dalton, high school football is also about preparing players for what comes after Friday nights.
“I think that high school football is about helping build young men and helping them encounter the things that they’re going to encounter in life,” he said.
Accountability. Being on time. Working hard. Not letting teammates down.
Those are qualities Dalton believes eventually translate to success on the football field as well.
“Most years when teams demonstrate that, the wins are going to come naturally,” he said. “They’re learning how to be accountable and good people and on time and work hard and not let down the people you work with.”
Farmington spent much of last season proving it could compete.
The Scorpions were close.
In 2026, close is no longer the goal.
With more depth, experienced leaders and a group that has already experienced the heartbreak of games decided by only a few plays, Farmington enters the new season looking to turn those lessons into something more.
“They’re learning to be a family,” Dalton said. “And that’s what we want people to see.”
Farmington will open its season Friday Night August 21st at the Hutch against crosstown rival Piedra Vista Panthers,
7pm Kickoff.
